ABSTRACT
Abstract The aim of this present study was to localize alveolar macrophages, Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Smooth muscle actin (SMA), Vimentin and Vasculo-endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the tracheal epithelium and lung alveoli in three important breeds of goats namely, Pashmina, Bakerwali and non-descript goats by standard immunohistochemical methods. Large pulmonary macrophages were observed in the lung sections of all the three breeds of goat. Macrophages were observed in the alveolar septa and airway epithelium. The mean macrophage count for Pashmina, Bakerwali and non-descript goat were recorded as 23.4±1.47, 27.8±0.68 and 21.4±0.70, respectively. The PCNA activity was intense in the alveolar epithelial cells of lungs in Pashmina and Bakerwali goats and very high in the lung tissue of non-descript goat. The PCNA activity was intense in the bronchial epithelial cells of lungs in Bakerwali goat. Strong reaction of SMA was observed in the submucosa of bronchioles of Pashmina and Bakerwali goats. The submucosa of the tracheal tissue showed a strong reaction of SMA in the non-descript goat and moderate in the submucosa of trachea in the Bakerwali goat. A number of vimentin-positive cells were found in the lung parenchyma in both Pashmina and Bakerwali goats. Also, there was a strong reaction of vimentin mainly in submucosal area in non-descript goat. The VEGF activity was found to be intense in the lung alveoli of Bakerwali goat and strong in Pashmina and non-descript goats. The tracheal epithelium was moderately reactive to VGEF in all the three goats.